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THE EFFECT OF PRESCHOOL AND QUALITY OF HOME LITERACY ENVIRONMENT ON THE CHILD'S LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

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Marjanovic-Umek L., Fekonja U., Bajc K., Kranjc S.

Studia Psychologica

2006

vol. 48

issue 2

157-173

In the present study we examined the effects of age at entry to preschool in interaction with maternal education and the quality of child's home literacy environment on children's language. The sample included 162 children, who were divided into two groups depending on their age at entry to the preschool institution: children who entered preschool at approximately 3 years and at approximately 1 year of age. The average age of the children was 38 months at the time of the first measurement and 50 months at the time of the second measurement one year later. Children's language was assessed using a Language Development Scale and a Storytelling Test. Early entry to preschool was found to have no negative effects on children's language competence at the age of 38 and 50 months. Children who entered preschool at an early age showed higher storytelling competence than those who entered preschool at 3 years of age on both measurements, although the differences were not significant. Children differed in their language competence considering their mothers' educational level, on the other hand, the effect of the quality of home literacy environment was not significant. The obtained results were interpreted in the light of the Slovene preschool curriculum as well as of the current practice observed in Slovene preschool institutions.

CHILDREN'S INTELLECTUAL ABILITY, FAMILY ENVIRONMENT, AND PRESCHOOL AS PREDICTORS OF LANGUAGE COMPETENCE FOR 5-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

100%

Marjanovic U. L., Socan G., Bajc K., Fekonja P. U.

Studia Psychologica

2008

vol. 50

issue 1

31-48

This study ascertains the extent to which children's intellectual ability and factors in the family environment (paternal and maternal education, and quality of the family environment) and in preschool (the age at which children start preschool and preschool quality) are linked to children's language competence (language comprehension, language expression, and metalinguistic awareness). The sample comprised 115 five-year-old children that were attending a Slovenian preschool. The adopted path model of relationship between variables was checked using structural equation modeling (SEM). This model - which includes children's intellectual ability, preschool quality, children's ages when they started preschool, quality of family environment, and maternal education as exogenous variables, as well as parents' and children's reading together and an estimate of the three areas of verbal development as endogenous variables - has good fit. It makes it possible to explain the 16% of variability in the results obtained on the Language Comprehension Scale, the 7% of variability in the results obtained on the Language Expression Scale, and the 9% of variability in the results obtained on the Metalinguistic Awareness Scale. The results also indicate that the best predictors of children's language development are the development of their intellectual ability and parents' and children's reading together. Maternal education is indirectly linked to children's language competence, specifically through reading together, whereas paternal education is seen to be the least important predictor. Consequently, we also excluded this variable from the final model.

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2 Studia Psychologica

1 2008

1 2006

2 Bajc K.

1 Fekonja P. U.

1 Fekonja U.

1 Kranjc S.

1 Marjanovic U. L.

1 Marjanovic-Umek L.

1 Socan G.

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THE EFFECT OF PRESCHOOL AND QUALITY OF HOME LITERACY ENVIRONMENT ON THE CHILD'S LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

CHILDREN'S INTELLECTUAL ABILITY, FAMILY ENVIRONMENT, AND PRESCHOOL AS PREDICTORS OF LANGUAGE COMPETENCE FOR 5-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN